Dogs do not sneak quietly into my life with built in good manners.
Misbehavior! Gasp! Say it isn’t so… First they are overly generous with their friendly greetings and not one of them is under 50 pounds. Then there’s jumping. Mostly they reserve that for me. It is no fun to have your feet swept out from under you so that one lands on unmentionable places with a dull thud. Last but not least there’s rough housing…with each other. That wouldn’t be so bad. I admit it does use up some of their endless energy. The dilemma is that they do it within inches of me. My smallish self becomes an unwilling participant in their romping games. Remember that dull thud I mentioned before. Yep, there we are again…
Yesterday afternoon I set out on a walk with Dobby on a leash – we are diligently working on good manners. Miss Ellie came too, not on a leash – she already has good manners. We three musketeers headed to the pond, as we do everyday. Ah, a lone mower was at work in the field. The dogs were content by my side but definitely curious about these happenings in what they consider “their” space. I could see their thoughts ticking away at the idea of a new friend!
He was preparing for this afternoon. There will be a couple hours of skeet shooting for out of town guests. Miss Ellie will be frightened by the sounds of the gunshots. She would never have made a hunting dog which is fine with me. Ellie will stay under my feet until the shooting stops. She likes it best when I take her to a large closet and turn on a loud fan to drown out the noise. I sit on the floor with her, crisscross applesauce and pet her gently until she calms and falls asleep.
It hurts me to see Ellie so afraid. She doesn’t understand. It’s a helpless feeling for both of us and all I can really do is be near so that she knows I’m there with her.
So, I veered from our usual walk on the north side. We reversed our footsteps and took the path to the south instead. Across the creek, through the young pines, onward and upward. At the top of the hill rests a very small very old cemetery…
I looked once….I looked twice…I looked three times… no doubt about it; there was a young bull inside of the cemetery!
My first thought was that there must be a break somewhere in the fence – I explored carefully. The chain link fence was completely in tact and the gate was quite closed. Hmm… He stared at us. We stared at him. All of us were perplexed at such a strange occurrence.
My second thought was to simply open the gate and let him out. I wasn’t afraid of him. But, after all he is not my bull. Perhaps he was separated from the herd temporarily for a reason that I didn’t know. You never know…
Meanwhile, a lovely milk chocolate brown cow wandered up to give us a verbal “what for”. She must be his mother. Now, whether she was admonishing us to go away or to open the gate and set her son free, I can’t be sure. There we all were locked in some sort of weird time warp event. No one in any danger. No one knowing quite what to do next.
Now came the phone call which began like this – hello, this is suzanne. I have rather an odd question… I heard light laughter on the other end and the phrase – it’s always something! The friendly lady said – thank you samantha, I’ll be right over to let him out. Yes, samantha. I guess on the phone on Wednesday afternoons suzanne sounds a lot like samantha. I’m good with that. It makes me think of Bewitched and what girl doesn’t want just a hint of magic in her days.
My musketeers and I continued on our walk content that help was on its way. Yet, I was left wondering of the young bull. However did he get in there. How long had he been trapped. I’ll say this much, the cemetery does Not need to be mowed. How long would it take a bull his size to clean up a grassy area that way. It’s a riddle I’ll probably never have an answer to…
I could have stubbornly kept on to the pond as I usually do and not ventured to the south. But, you know that feeling when something changes. You can’t quite explain it but, there it is. And you change with it… Maybe you ease into the changes or maybe you fight them. Either way, you find yourself on a hill next to a cemetery staring at a bull who needs you. Only five minutes ago you didn’t even know he existed. Now, he’s touched your heart and you are forever different for it…
I know…forever is a long time…but sometimes the biggest changes happen in the smallest moments…
I could write all day about what brought me to this one place in time. Every moment is that way though, built upon others before it; a single step on the winding way to an unknowable future. To be honest, there were storms on this path that I would have gladly done without. Nevertheless, there I am… learning from All of it…not just the good stuff.
Simple really… I walked a different way, saw a bull, made a phone call, the end. And yet, it stays with me. I still see him alone and helpless with no way out looking into my eyes…the key to his freedom as simple as a hand upon a gate.
At times in my life I am Ellie shivering with fear of what I don’t understand. Other times I am the bull alone and helpless…not seeing the gate…not knowing how to open it for myself. I am even the cow unable to communicate my heart’s desire. I hold all of these moments until I need them again, the lessons of them. I need reminding often.
When something lands softly before me or crashes, as something always does…to remember how it feels to be on the other side of the fence or to shiver in the unknown…to give from my heart with compassion and my hand in gentle kindness. I’m never only on one side or the other.
There will always be something and the answer will always be love.
****
ellie894 October 11, 2018
That is so beautiful……..I absolutely love the way you write!!
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Thank you Linda, I think of you so often. Take care, suzanne ❤️
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Me too ❤
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Thank you Tracey ❤️
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Xxx 💐
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You’re such a dear soul, please take care 🌷
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Wonderful words!
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Thank you, have a marvelous day! 😊
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Beautiful thoughts as always. You have the power to touch people’s heart, and you have the gift of looking at things not quite like anyone else, you are magic suzanne 😇 🐂 🐕 💖👼
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Such lovely kind thoughts, they mean so much, thank you very much😊🦋🌷
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Magic indeed in a poetic soul. 💐
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Thank you for such kind thoughts. 🌷
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As always, a lovely journey 🙂
Do enjoy the rest of your day
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Thank you 🌷
May your path be clear and joyful ☀️
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That was a great story, Samantha! As a large human with a tiny dog, rough housing with the canine doesn’t present much of a physical challenge, unlike the clear case of dog abuse you suffered with Ellie and Dobby. Be careful Savannah! Bovine in a cemetery…hmmm…Red Bull gives you wings…there’s a theme here. Very moooving tale, Susan. (I’ll stop harassing you now. 🙂 )
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Thank you Marvin! Yes, when I’m trod upon and flattened outright, what I wouldn’t give for a tiny little smidgen of a pup! Wings…now why didn’t I think of that?! I wonder if he drinks his Red Bull with a straw… very sincerely, Sally 😊
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Great story and wonderful message! Thank you for sharing!!
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Thank you so very much! 😊
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Lovely story. It reminds me of something else l recently read. A K9 Interview l did earlier in the year called Danny. He has sadly passed away [RIP] and his 2 legged wrote a few snippets on the comments she had received about ‘Just a dog’ which were understandably hurtful to any owner of our wonderful 4 legged companions – fact is, these companions are our best friends, they are our furmates, far from ‘just a dog’, more understanding than many 2 legged friends, and when they are scared we comfort them, and when we are lonely they comfort us. It is always about love.
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Thank you kindly for sharing such beautiful thoughts. Those comments about Danny must have made her very sad indeed. Ellie did get scared when the noise began and I stayed with her until she fell asleep. I have had a few dogs in my life. It touches my heart that it seems all they really want in life is to be with to me. You’re so right. It is always about love. Thank you 😊
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And that’s exactly it Suzanne, they just want to be with us all the time… l love cats, but they don’t always want to be with us in the same way 🙂
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😊🐶
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My rescue kitty Snosey is fearful like Ellie and it breaks my heart imagining his untold trauma..
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It’s so hard to see them that way isn’t it, a helpless feeling. Thank you. Take care, suzanne 🌷
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So utterly perfect…
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…thank you kindly
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My pleasure!!
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😊🌷
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🙂 !!
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Nice
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Thanks!
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Love that your post is exactly what the motto in our house is “It’s always something!” When things start going to smoothly we start looking over our shoulder to see what is sneaking up on us!! LOL!!!
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Thank you for the wonderful comment! It’s so true, isn’t it?! Something is always just around the corner! 😊
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Yes, I always start looking over my shoulder when things have going well for awhile to see what is gaining ground on me! LOL! Beautiful post!
xoxoxo
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Well, I hope you had a nice thanksgiving and the only thing to sneak up on you yesterday was good food! Thank you! 🌷
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So beautiful Suzanne. I’ve missed your writing it is so full of life and always calms me down. no matter how much I just wanted to just brush through. 💜🌼
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Thank you Sethu. ❤️ I’ve missed you too. I know real life must be keeping you busy. Your stitching is beautiful! Such hard and time consuming work. I loved the little clutch. I’m not on social media except here. How is it best to reach you to find out more? Take care, suzanne 😊❤️
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hey Suzanne. I’d also love that. here’s my emal siphosetumqikela2@gmail.com
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Thanks! I can’t wait to see what you’re stitching! 😊
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How serene and calming of an experience. Thanks for sharing these photos!!
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Thank you 😊
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I love the mystery of crossing paths and intersecting stories. I wonder if the bull or cow for a time afterward wondered what had gotten you and your dogs to that same place? Do cows and bulls ever make poets and dreamers?
Wonderful writing.
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I love that too. What a wonderful magical thought! Cows are such gentle big creatures. I was fascinated at how at ease he was with just being there. He didn’t seem bothered at all. Thank you so much. 😊🌷
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You definitely have children’s books in your writing, along with those many other things. Do continue 🙂
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That is a grand compliment! Thank you much! 😊
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I resonate with your thoughts, Suzanne. I recognised the helplessness in the eyes of the bull, it reminded me of the sad expression of the camels I saw in an entertaining park in Tenerife. Entertaining the tourists and locals is their main purpose in life. A duty they have to obey, no compromise. I recognised the fear of Ellie and the way she was seeking comfort, it reminded me of my little son. How he pressed his face tightly towards mine while fireworks were set off and making such explosive noises at New Year Eve.
Loved the richness of the story and its ultimate message, love. ❤️
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Yes, so very much the same. I can imagine the camels in Tenerife, their days taken from them in some way. Fireworks although beautiful, can be so frightening to little ones. Thank you Isabelle for your kind sharing. I’m so happy you found something in the story. ❤️
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Dear ELLIE894,
what a wonder fully magickal and enchanting story.
Each step (word) I took with you, I wanted to learn more, as I felt that I was walking right beside you.
Everything that every one else has said in their comments, would be sent from me to you, too.
Have another blessed day Ellie. Thank you for sharing your heart warming adventures…
and yes, you most definitely should write a book, not only for children, but for us, ‘adults’ as well.
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You have touched my heart vhealing with your thoughtful comments. I wonder what I could ever write for adults but perhaps they need to hear the same stories as children, only written in a different way. I’ll think on that…
Thank you so very kindly for taking such time.
Take care, suzanne 🌷
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Wonderful photos! I loved this story✨
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Thank you so very kindly! 😊
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The photo above looks natural, beautiful.
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Thank you kindly for taking the time to visit and for your warm comment. 😊
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